Classic Line Up Jim Keays -Vocals Glen Wheatley -Bass Colin Burgess -Drums Doug Ford-Guitar/Vocals

Jim Keays, living in Adelaide at age 18 gives up learning the bass after failing to master it in 3 weeks and decides to become a singer. After answering an ad Jim joins the Mustangs, an instrumental band that used Jim to sing a few vocal tracks in the last set. Not content with this Jim is soon singing in every set and changing the direction of the band from a Shadows type instrumental band to a R&B outfit.

Original Lineup (left to right) Rick Morrison - Lead Guitar Gavin Webb - Bass Brian Vaughton - Drums Mick Bower - Guitar/Songwriter Jim Keays - Vocals

1965 The band see/hear blues artists like John Lee Hooker as the 'Masters' and come up with name 'Masters Apprentices'. The band finish third in the Adelaide 'Battle of the Sounds'.

Next Lineup (left to right) Mick Bower - Guitar/Songwriter Rick Morrison - Lead Guitar Jim Keays - Vocals Gavin Webb - Bass Steve Hopgood - Drums (Brian Vaughton gone)

1966

Lineup Changes Mick Bower suffers a nervous breakdown Replaced by Rick Harrison and then Peter Tilbrook	Rick Harrison - Guitar Tony Sommers - Guitar  Jim Keays - Vocals Steve Hopgood - Drums Gavin Webb - Bass
Steve Hopgood Peter Tilbrook	Tony Sommers Gavin Webb Jim Keays

Peter Tilbrook - Guitar Gavin Webb - Bass Doug Ford - Guitar Colin Burgess - Drums Jim Keays - Vocals
	Doug Ford - Guitar Jim Keays - Vocals Colin Burgess - Drums Peter Tilbrook - Bass
Colin, Doug, Glenn, Peter & Jim	The 5 man line up finished a close second in the Battle of the Sounds and win a boat trip to England.

The first single with EMI, Linda Linda (which Jim hates) /Merry-Go-Round reached number 41 and kept the bands name alive. The Masters played the pop star game, dressed in furs, satins, velvet and silks. They ended up dressing in leather because the fans couldn't tear that off them. '5:10 Man' marks the real beginning for the stable 4 piece line up, with the band having more control over their emerging heavy rock sound. The follow up 'Think About Tomorrow Today' is a Australian classic with Doug letting fly with some great riffs/solos and Glenn pumping up the bass. A fitting farewell to the 60's, the Masters went into the 70's as Australia's most popular band.

Colin, Glenn, Jim & Doug Dressed in leather.

The long awaited Masterpiece is released in Feb. Well recieved by the press and public, it was however a patchy album that served to enhance the bands image as 'Australia's Most Original Band'. They established the 'Drum Agency' using the business acumen of Glenn to manage acts and promote concerts. Before heading off in May to conquer England they recorded 'Turn Up Your Radio' an Australian classic that Jim has re-recorded at least once each decade. It reached the top ten despite a radio ban on Australian music and recently featured in an issue of Rock & Roll stamps. Working on the boat and then absorbing the influences of England gave the Masters a chance to expand and develop their own style. In december they released 'Because I Love' a gentle acoustic ballad that is the antithisis of Turn Up Your Radio. It charted well and is now another Australian classic.

On returning from England the band set to work touring to earn some money. The first concert, recorded as they stepped off the boat is captured on 'Nickelodeon', released in June. One of the earliest attempts at a live recording in Australia. The results of working in England and recording at the Abbey Road studios was released in April. 'Choice Cuts' issused without liner notes or names meant the reviewers only had the music to go on. Rave reviews in NME & Melody Maker meant the band had to quickly reform (they'd split due to lack of funds) and head off back to England on a boat!!, Only to get there after all the fuss had died down. Another 8 weeks on the boat enabled the Masters to work on songs for another album.

	Early 72 the band released 'A Toast To Panama Red' which died without a trace. It is now hailed as one of Australia's most creative and innovative albums. A diverse range of styles, instruments, a choir and unusual vocals mean that it is still eagerly collected in Europe (Where they are releasing bootleg copies of it). The money ran out and the band split with Glenn and Jim returning home.
Doug, Colin & Denny	Doug, Colin and his brother Denny continued on in England for about 6 months recording only one track 'Freedom Seekers'.

A successful reunion that produced a album 'Do What You Wanna Do'. The studio side featured new versions of 'Turn Up Your Radio' and 'Because I Love You' which charted in the top 10. The live side featured more of Doug's fine guitar work and demonstrated that they were still a tight band live.

In May of 1998, the Masters Apprentices' hit song of 1970, TURN UP YOUR RADIO, was commemorated on a postage stamp along with other Australian rock music classics in the Rock'n'Roll stamp issue. See the SHOPPING page for details.

On 20th October, 1998, the Masters Apprentices were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame in Sydney. The star-studded awards ceremony was televised nationally. ( L - R: Doug Ford, Jim Keays, Glenn Wheatley, Colin Burgess)

In 2000, Jim produced the ABC Television documentary, TURN UP YOUR VIDEO. The 90 minute biography traces the band's history to 2000 and includes interviews and film clips.

2002

In 2001, the ABC television series, LONG WAY TO THE TOP, went to air on Wednesday evenings and became the most-watched documentary series on Australian music ever. MASTERS APPRENTICES featured as one of the pioneer bands in Australian music and Jim acted as consultant to the producers. In August the following year, MASTERS APPRENTICES performed in the LONG WAY TO THE TOP concert series which toured arenas around Australia playing Perth, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Wollongong, Newcastle, Brisbane and Sydney. Over 160,000 people went to the sell-out concerts. The three hour shows featured a long list of Australian music luminaries. Concert videos and DVDs are available through ABC shops.